Box Score Box Score (pdf)
 
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – The Wofford women's basketball team was defeated by Western Carolina, 66-47, in Southern Conference action on Monday night inside WCU's Ramsey Center.
 
The Catamounts led wire-to-wire and were headed by the tag-team of Rena Wakama and Lindsay Simpson. Wakama scored all 16 of her points in the first half to give Western Carolina a 33-19 halftime lead. Simpson had just three at halftime, but scored 15 in the second to finish with a game-high 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including a 4-of-5 mark from long range.
 
The Terriers (5-16, 3-8 SoCon) were plagued by a tough shooting night, finishing the game 28.6 percent (18-63) from the field and 20 percent (5-25) from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Catamounts shot nearly 50 percent (27-55 FG), including a 7-of-16 showing from 3-point range. Senior Logan Morris earned her first collegiate double-double with a team-high 17 points and career-high 10 rebounds, but shot 7-of-23 (30.4 pct.). Sophomore Jordan Frazier had eight points on 3-of-14 shooting and came up with three steals.
 
A positive for Wofford was the play of sophomore Chanel Stokes, who had a good game at the point with four assists and eight points. Stokes shot 3-of-6 from the floor, 1-of-2 from 3-point land, and also came up with four rebounds. The Cincinnati, Ohio native tied her career-high in assists, and tied for the game-high with Western Carolina's (11-11, 5-6 SoCon) Hana Haden and Ali Lane.
 
Wakama got it going early with a bucket 32 seconds in, followed by another on Western Carolina's second possession. Erika Joseph made it a 6-0 Catamount start, while Wofford was struggling with two quick fouls and early turnovers.
 
Junior Lauren Kirby put the Terriers on the board at the 17:43 mark. Stokes drove underneath the basket and kicked it back out to Kirby at the elbow for the open look, earning her first assist of the game. Frazier then drove to the basket a few possessions later and got Wofford within a bucket.
 
The score would never get even. Justin Taylor answered with a mid-range jumper just before the first media timeout and Lane put down her first two points of the night at the 13:21 mark, giving the home team a 10-4 lead.
 
Morris got on the board at the 12:34 mark, hitting a 3-pointer to make it a one-possession game. Simpson responded with her only points of the half on the ensuing WCU possession, but Stokes got it back with some good inside-out play. Junior Michelle Merritt was working underneath the basket and found Stokes on the baseline for an open look, cutting the WCU lead back to three at 13-10
 
The Catamounts proceeded to go on a 9-0 run that lasted almost six minutes. Both teams were struggling to score, but Western found enough baskets to extend the lead. Wakama scored five in the span, including a 3-pointer to cap the run and make it 22-10. Frazier finally ended Wofford's 5:43 scoreless drought with a made three at the 5:35 mark.
 
The Terriers got back within as few as six points. Morris hit 1-of-2 free throws to make it 24-18 with four minutes remaining in the opening half, but another 9-0 Catamount run ensued. Wakama sparked the run with a 3-pointer, followed by a layup, and the Terriers only scored one point the rest of the half to go into the locker rooms down 33-18.
 
Wofford's shooting struggles were showing at just 23.3 percent at halftime. Western shot exactly 50 percent and doubled Wofford's amount of made field goals by sinking 14. Morris and Stokes each had six points to lead the Terriers, but Wakama had put down 16 on 7-of-9 shooting.
 
Kristen Lyon got the second half off to a good start for the Catamounts, bringing the lead to 16. Wofford put together a run and made it a ball game as Ashton Fleming scored five points in a two-minute span to bring the lead down to 11. Senior Erin Frost got to the line and remained perfect on free throws this season by hitting a pair – Frost is 8-of-8 on the year – which got Wofford within single digits at the 15:05 mark.
 
Lindsay Simpson then began her second-half outburst, hitting a triple to extend the lead back to 12. Frost answered Simpson with a three of her own, but seven straight Western points followed, including a Simpson bucket at the 11:03 mark to make it 47-31 Catamounts.
 
Western's lead remained in double digits the rest of the way. Wofford cut it to 12 on a Stokes lay-in with 5:41 remaining, but Simpson nailed another three. A few minutes later, she was good from downtown again, handing Western Carolina an 18-point lead, 59-41, with 4:43 remaining.
 
Taylor scored WCU's final seven points.
 
The Wofford women's basketball team returns home on Saturday, hosting Furman at Benjamin Johnson Arena. Tip is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
Terrier Notes
- Logan Morris earned her first collegiate double-double, scoring 17 points and going up for a career-high 10 rebounds.
- Chanel Stokes tied her career-high with four assists.
- Jordan Frazier came up with three more steals. She leads the Southern Conference, averaging just under three per game.
- Michelle Merritt had a season-high four rebounds.
- Western Carolina ended a two-game series losing streak to Wofford and avoided a season sweep. The Catamounts now lead the all-time series 31-11.